


Once Upon a Dream

by chaostheoryy



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Disney, Artist Steve Rogers, Developing Relationship, Disney, Disney Employees, Disney Prince Bucky Barnes, Disney World & Disneyland, Falling In Love, M/M, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-27
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-07-24 17:39:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7517330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaostheoryy/pseuds/chaostheoryy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve Rogers is living his childhood dream of working as an artist at the Disneyland Resort. Everything is perfect. Little does he know that it can only get better with a prince in his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. You've Got a Friend in Me

As a kid, Steve Rogers had never truly believed he would be able to land his dream job. Sure he could hope, daydream about spending every working day happy to be doing what he loved. His parents had always teased him for it too. "You can't turn art into a career," they would say, "You'll change your mind as you get older." But he never did. And as he sat beside the water with his paintbrush in hand and the smell of churros wafting through the air around him, he knew he never would.   
  
He had only been employed at Disneyland as an artist for a little over a week but he already felt at home. He had been set up with a nice little arrangement on the Fantasyland patio just across from the Matterhorn where he could watch guests whiz around the bend on Autopia, see kids giggling as their parents buy them their first Mickey Mouse ice cream bar, or, if he felt like it, simply gaze at the white swans who called the pond beside the patio home. He was supplied with a brand new easel and a set of the finest set of brushes he'd ever owned. Best part of all? His name tag. Sure it was just a form of identification to park visitors but to Steve it was special. Everytime he looked down at it he would remember that he had actually made it, that the years he had spent teaching himself how to paint and draw paid off. He was right where he wanted to be.   
  
As he was setting up his stand on the Monday of his second week, a young man approached him dressed in the typical Fantasyland food stand uniform. "You must be the new Picasso," the man said, smiling brightly.   
  
Steve laughed as he finished unfolding his umbrella. "That's right," he replied, holding out his hand to his fellow castmember, "Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you."   
  
The man took his hand, shaking it firmly. "Sam Wilson. I run that old dive over there." Sam gestured to the turkey leg stand just down the path from Steve's patio.   
  
"I don't know if I would call that a dive. You guys cook up one hell of a turkey leg."   
  
"Says the man sitting in his own little grease-free heaven. Trust me, when you're working back there, the last thing you want is one of those monstrosities."   
  
Steve chuckled. "I'll bet." He glanced down at his watch and sighed. "Well, I better finish setting up before guests start pouring in." He reached out to shake Sam's hand again. "It was great meeting you."   
  
"You too, man," Sam replied, beaming as he started back-pedaling toward the turkey stand, "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other around. Oh, and don't strain yourself painting the Mona Lisa today, alright?"    
  
Steve laughed freely as Sam winked before hustling over to his post. Smiling to himself, Steve completed his morning prep just in time to see the first group of kids running up the path toward It's a Small World. Their grins spread from ear to ear, little legs working hard to keep up with their excited minds. Behind them their parents laughed and called for them to slow down. Watching from his post, Steve could remember being their age and wanting nothing more than to see Disneyland with his own two eyes. He had heard so many stories from his friends, all of them saying it was the greatest place on Earth. Steve hadn't visited the park until he was eleven, but the moment he stepped through the front gates he knew he belonged here.   
  
Noon rolled around quickly that afternoon which meant it was time to take a lunch. To his pleasure, it was Sam's break as well. Steve looked up as he finished placing a note on his easel saying when he'd be back and saw Sam walking over. "You off to grab some grub?"   
  
Steve slung his bag over his shoulder and nodded. "You want to join me?"

“Why not!”

They made their way over to the Village Haus on the other side of Fantasyland and grabbed a seat in the back of the restaurant once they’d gotten their food.

“So,” Sam said as he swallowed his first bite of burger, “When did you start getting into all that artsy stuff?”

Steve hummed, sipping from his water bottle. “I started drawing when I was seven. Back then it was a lot of cartoons. I got a lot of practice trying to sketch different Disney characters. Once I was good at that, I began portrait work. I was bad at first. So bad.” Steve laughed as he remembered his first ever portrait piece. It was an extremely inaccurate drawing of Audrey Hepburn. Her eyes were humongous and her hair looked like overcooked spaghetti. “It took years of practice before I could be good enough to even consider professional work, especially since I never took any sort of classes.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Sam blurted, a look of absolute surprise on his face, “You mean you taught yourself how to do all this?”

“Yeah.”

“And I thought the guy before you was good.” Sam scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Jesus, Steve. You really might be the next Van Gogh.”

Steve chuckled. “I doubt that. But thanks.”

They spent the rest of their lunch break learning as much as they could about one another. Steve was intrigued by Sam’s story. He had enlisted in the Army straight out of high school and trained as a paratrooper. He served two tours before leaving Camp Pendleton and searching for a job in Southern California. Fortunately for him, Disney had been more than happy to hire him into food service while he searched for a more permanent career.

As they made their way back to their posts, they were surprised to run into a massive crowd. It was an unusual mob too. Kids and adults alike were swarming and shoving one another in an attempt to see something Steve couldn’t quite catch a glimpse of from the back of the crowd.

“Ah, shit,” Sam groaned, “It’s that damn Prince Phillip again.”

Steve raised his brow in curiosity. “What’s so special about Phillip? Cinderella doesn’t even get crowds this large.”

“Trust me,” Sam said as he grabbed Steve’s arm to direct him to an alternate route, “If you saw that guy’s face, you’d understand why.”

Cutting through the Mad Hatter shop and circling around the tea cups, they returned to their designated area across from the Matterhorn. Sam sighed as he saw a massive line forming outside of his food stand. “Looks like the lunch rush is here.” He gave Steve a solid pat on the back. “I’ll catch you later, alright?”

Steve smiled and gave him a nod. “You bet.”

Once he and Sam parted, Steve strolled over to his station and began unloading his bag of goods. He was certain that it was going to be a slow afternoon with very few customers. But those who were going to come over to him were going to receive the very best art he could produce along with the biggest smile he could possibly wear.

* * *

A few days after he had met him, Steve found himself strolling the park on his off-day with Sam by his side. They had hit it off even better than Steve could have ever imagined. They were different in many ways but they were always happy in each other’s company. Steve admired his spirit and his ability to crack a joke in any situation. He was absolutely hilarious. He could make Steve laugh at any given moment which was something Steve had found difficult to do some days. He had been alone for several years. Ever since his parents passed when he was 18, he had been on his own in the world. He was never a socialite, never surrounded himself with a lot of friends. So when Sam had introduced himself and began hanging out with him on a daily basis, Steve was more than happy to have him.

As they walked across Main Street and into Adventureland, Sam began waving to just about every castmember in the area, all of whom waved back with a gleaming smile.

“You seem to know just about everybody here,” Steve noted as Sam called out to one of the shopkeepers in the fruit stand next to Jungle Cruise.

“Yeah, well, you get to know a lot of cool people when you’ve worked here for a while.” He patted one of the janitors on the back as they passed. “Which reminds me,” he said with a grin, “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

They descended the small hill at the base of Tarzan’s treehouse toward Pirates of the Caribbean. At the foot of the hill was a beautiful young woman with shoulder-length auburn hair and ruby red lips to match. She was dressed in a pirate costume, her hand resting on one of the poles holding up the ride’s line. As soon as she spotted Sam, she grinned and stood up, putting her hands on her hips.

“Hey, sailor,” she greeted playfully, “What brings you over to these shores?"

Sam grinned and gestured to Steve. “I wanted to introduce you to my friend Steve. Steve, this is Natasha.”

Steve held his hand out toward Natasha. “Ma’am.”

Natasha took his hand with a surprisingly firm grip. “So you’re the artist Sam’s told me about. How are you liking it over there in princess paradise?”

“It’s nice. Pretty quiet most days. Easy to keep focused.”

Natasha nodded. “Sounds like a pretty little set up you’ve got. Now if you’ll excuse me, boys, I’ve got some troublesome children to yell at,” she said with a devilish smirk before turning and shouting over at a couple of kids climbing on the ropes.

Sam and Steve turned to leave, heading into New Orleans Square to grab lunch. 

“That Natasha seems like she can handle herself quite well,” Steve said as they walked, “She’s got one hell of a handshake.”

Sam chuckled. “Oh she can handle herself alright. I went with her to a karate class at the local rec center and watched her beat the living shit out of a 230 pound wrestler. It was pretty awesome.”

Steve raised his brow, extremely impressed by just the image of Natasha taking down a man twice her size. “Have you known her for a while?”

“Couple years. I met her at one of the castmember parties during my first month here. She looked like she was bored out of her mind so I went over to chat with her. Been friends ever since.”

They enjoyed a delicious meal at the French cafe, talking about some of their favorite pass-times and musicians before they broke into a hearty discussion about the importance of baseball in American culture. By the time they finished it was time for the afternoon parade through Main Street. Determined to avoid the traffic of people, they walked around the back of Thunder Mountain in order to circle through Fantasyland and into Tomorrowland where they planned to break Sam’s record for number of Space Mountain rides in a day.

As they passed by the lemonade cart at the edge of Fantasyland, Sam elbowed Steve in the side. “Look. It’s that Prince Phillip guy.”

Steve’s eyes shot over in the direction Sam was pointing and was surprised by what he saw. Kneeling down beside a young girl dressed as Sleeping Beauty was the single most handsome Disney prince he had ever seen. Clad in chainmail with a red cape hanging behind him, the man looked like a real knight. His brown hair was slicked back and his smile was absolutely brilliant. Steve was taken back. No wonder swarms of people wanted to meet him. He was perfect.

Steve stared in awe as the man took the little girl’s hand in his and kissed the back of it, beaming down at her like she was the center of his world. “Have a good day, my princess,” Steve could hear him say as he waved to her when her mother pulled her away. Before he met with the next guest, the man’s eyes wandered over to where he and Sam were standing. The moment he caught Steve gazing over at him with a wide-eyed expression, he smirked, eyebrow raising playfully. Steve immediately clenched his jaw, cheeks getting hot. The brunet beamed and returned his attention to the guests, gasping as a boy approached him dressed in his own Phillip costume.

“Did you just get eye-fucked by Prince Phillip?” Sam blurted, completely entertained by what had just unfolded.

Steve rolled his eyes and started making his way through the edge of the crowd, refusing to respond to Sam’s question.

“Hold on there hot rod,” Sam exclaimed as he jogged up next to him, an amused smile tugging at his lips, “I’m only playin’ around!”

“I know you are,” Steve replied, brushing the entire thing off, “I’m just trying to get through this mob before I suffocate.” He groaned as a plump woman slammed into him with her backpack. “Jeez, these people will do anything just to get a photo with that guy.”

“Pretty sure they’d commit first-degree murder to get the look you just did.”

“Sam.”

“Alright, I’ll stop. For now.” He smirked at Steve as they emerged from the crowd, “But you know I’m never letting this go.”

“I wouldn’t expect any less,” Steve sighed.


	2. So Familiar a Gleam

The following Sunday, Steve was finishing packing up his station when he saw Natasha approaching. She was dressed casually in a black tank top and shorts, an arrow necklace adorning her collar.

“Hey, Rogers.”

“Natasha,” Steve greeted her with a smile, “Enjoying your day off?”

“As best a girl can.”

Steve slung his bag over his shoulder and started heading toward Main Street with Natasha following right beside him. “So what brought you over to my corner of the park? Surely you didn’t come over just to engage in a little small talk.”

She smirked. “You’re even smarter than you look,” she mused. “A friend of mine from the security office is throwing together a little social tomorrow night and I was wondering if you wanted to come. Sam will be there if that makes you feel any more comfortable.”

“Why would I be uncomfortable?” Steve inquired, brow raised in curiosity.

“No reason.” She smirked devilishly and brushed her hair over her shoulder. “I just figured a man who gets all flustered when a cute guy throws him a glance might have a hard time at parties.”

Steve stopped and turned to face her. “Sam told you.”

Natasha shrugged. “Of course he did. There’s nothing shameful about being shy, Steve,” she said, looking up at him with gentle green eyes. “Look, if you don’t want to come to the party, it’s fine. I just thought it might be good for you to grab a drink and meet some people. Trust me, all the people that come to Maria’s socials are great.”

Steve sighed. He had never been much of a drinker let alone a party person. He preferred wrapping himself up in a good book and a cup of coffee. But Natasha was right. He needed to get out and meet some people. Especially people he was bound to work with. “Alright, I’ll be there,” he mumbled hesitantly, “Just promise me you won’t give me a hard time if I turn down shots.”

Natasha smiled softly and comfortingly ran her hand over his arm. “Don’t worry,” she said as they started walking again, “I won’t be trying to get you to chug a keg.”

“Good, because I did that once in college. Never again.”

“Now that’s a story I need to hear,” Natasha declared, brow raised as she gazed up at him.

“Trust me,” Steve countered with a head shake, “It’s not something you want to have me talk about.”

Natasha smirked and nudged him playfully as they made their way down Main Street. “Trust me, it really is.”

* * *

Steve was awoken the next morning by a text from Sam containing the address of Maria Hill’s social. A second message came through just as he finished reading the first.

**_Need a ride?_ **

Steve declined the offer. The address he’d been given was a little over a mile away and he was never one to pass up an opportunity to take a walk, especially during the evenings when the brisk ocean breeze would dance its way over from the Pacific. 

Satisfied with staying in his apartment, he spent the day catching up on some reading and working on a painting of the Brooklyn bridge he had started a month before and had never found the time to finish. It had been years since he’d been in his hometown. Once his mom had passed away, he felt no reason to stay in the city. He had needed to get away, to find a new life in a new town. He worked several jobs in his first years away from New York. He spent time as a school janitor, a fast food cook, and even a freelance artist for an Orange County magazine. It took quite a while for him to get where he wanted to be and now that he was there, he was never letting it go.

When 5:00pm rolled around, Steve began washing his brushes and placing his easel in the corner of the room where it would be out of the way when he came home later in the evening. He then grabbed a quick bite to eat, settling on some leftover chicken and rice. He was never one to make a gourmet meal for himself. Only on the rare occasion that he would have a visitor would he prepare something fancy.

Once he’d eaten, he changed out of his sweatpants and into a pair of jeans. He kept his tee on, throwing one of his nicer cardigans on top of it before slipping on a pair of loafers. All dressed and ready to go, he looked himself over in the mirror. It had been a long time since he’d been to a party. He could only hope that he didn’t make a fool of himself while he was there.

* * *

Steve arrived at the party location around half past six and was surprised to find that it was being held in a massive house that he could only assume was owned by Maria. Adjusting his cardigan as he made his way up to the door, he took a deep breath.  _ You’ve got this, Steve _ , he thought to himself as he knocked on the door,  _ There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just a social. _

However, the moment the door opened he could see dozens of people dancing and shouting over the obnoxiously loud music and knew that he was in for a very interesting experience. He stepped inside, spotting Sam and Natasha chatting on the sofa in the room just on the other side of the makeshift dance floor that had been set up in the living room. Steve squeezed his way through the crowd of dancers, narrowly avoiding getting slapped in the face twice by wildly flinging hands. Certain one of the partygoers had just given him a pinch on the ass, he hustled out of the crowd with a sigh.

“Hey, guys,” he said as he sat down on the couch beside Sam.

“Well look who decided to show up,” Natasha teased, “Did you enjoy your little stroll?”

“It was fine. Would have enjoyed it a lot better if I hadn’t gotten stuck at Harbor with a line of ambulances roaring through the intersection.” He looked around the room at the party guests, some of whom he recognized from the park, many of whom he had never seen before in his life. “Are all these people castmembers?”

Sam shook his head. “Nah. People from all over just kind of show up to these parties. Some of ‘em are buddies with castmembers, others just pop in for the alcohol and then peace out.”

“Maria doesn’t mind either,” Natasha added, “She loves throwing parties. She’s got the cash for it too.”

“You said she’s a friend of yours,” Steve inquired, “What exactly does she do for a living?”

Natasha smirked slightly at the question. “She doesn’t really like to give out the details. But let’s just say she kind of owns the park.”

Steve’s brow rose in shock. No wonder this woman could own a house like the one they were sitting in. If you can afford a piece of Disney property, you can afford anything.

“Speak of the devil,” Sam murmured.

Steve looked up as a tall, dark haired woman approached wearing a blazer and pencil skirt. “Are these two nimnuts bothering you?” She asked Steve playfully.

Steve stood, smiling brightly. “Not anymore than usual,” he replied as he reached out to shake her hand, “Steve Rogers. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Maria Hill. Tell me, Steve, when was the last time you had yourself a kickass martini?”

“Can’t say it was recently.”

“In that case I’m going to have to insist you come with me.” She hooked her arm in his and pulled him across the dance floor and into the kitchen. As she prepared a couple of drinks for the two of them, Steve leaned over the counter and asked, “So how often do you throw these kinds of parties?”

“Oh once in awhile,” she replied, topping the drinks off with plump olives, “It’s a pain in the ass to clean up afterward. Especially if people wander into my guest room to have a quickie.”

Steve nearly spat out his drink at the comment. “I’ll bet,” he said a bit hoarsely, throat burning from the alcohol he had all but exhaled.

“Natasha tells me you're not much of a party animal.”

Steve shrugged. “Even in college I was never one for drinking and dancing. I’m more of a relax at home and read a book kind of guy.”

Maria nodded, taking a long sip of her martini. “I don’t blame you. It’s always nice to kick back and enjoy the quiet. Trust me, after tonight I’m going to be more than happy sitting upstairs in the bathtub with a glass of pinot noir.”

They spent a good twenty minutes chatting in the kitchen before Maria dismissed herself to deal with a couple of loudmouths arguing in the hallway. Curious to see some more of Maria’s beautiful abode, Steve wandered out onto the backyard patio. To his surprise there wasn’t a single person to be found. From the yard he could drown out the sound of the pounding party music and simply enjoy the moon and stars overhead. Just as he was about to sit on the patio chair and enjoy stargazing for a few minutes, he heard a vaguely familiar voice speak from behind him.

“Now there’s a face I thought I’d never be lucky enough to see again.”

Steve spun around and looked up at the second story balcony, surprised to see the Prince Phillip costume actor he had exchanged glances with a several days early looking down at him. He was dressed in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket, his hair lightly windswept. The more Steve looked at him, the more convinced he became that the man was even more attractive out of costume.

“Well, you might want to prepare yourself for some regular encounters,” Steve said as smoothly as he could, “We are technically co-workers.”

The man raised his brow curiously. “Really?”

“I’m afraid so.”

The man chuckled and stood up straight, hands gripping the railing tightly. “In that case I better come down and introduce myself. Care for another drink?”

“A beer wouldn’t hurt,” he replied upon noticing his martini glass was empty.

The man gave him a charming grin. “One beer coming up,” he said before disappearing inside.

Steve stood out on the patio in disbelief. The man he had been so flustered by just because of a look was now coming down to bring him a beer and introduce himself. The whole situation felt like a dream. The whole Romeo and Juliet balcony thing aside, Steve was almost certain this guy was straight out of a fairytale. A handsome prince that could sweep anybody off their feet with just a glance and fight off a dragon with just a sword and his unbreakable will.

Steve cleared his throat, snapping himself out of his thoughts as the back door opened and the brunet emerged with a bottle of Dos Equis in each hand. Steve flashed the man a small smile and nodded as he took one of the beers from him. “Thanks.”

The man smiled, holding up his bottle in a silent cheer. “My pleasure.” He took a sip of his drink. “So can I get a name to put to that face of yours or am I going to have to make one up?”

Steve’s brow raised slightly despite the blush in his cheeks. “Depends. What kind of name would that be?”

“Oh I don’t know,” the man mused as he sat down on the arm of one of the patio chairs, “Probably something along the lines of Prince Charming.”

Steve felt his cheeks grow hot as the man smiled playfully up at him. “Well, as great as that would be, I’m going to have to tell you my name is Steve.”

“Steve, huh? I like it…” He took another sip of beer, pausing to lick the tip of his bottle in a way that made Steve’s heart skip a beat. “I’m Bucky. Bucky Barnes.” He held out his hand which Steve immediately grasped in a firm handshake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Bucky.”

“You too,” Bucky replied as he gave Steve a less than subtle once-over, “So tell me, Steve, what’s your position at the park? Don’t tell me you really are Prince Charming…” He grinned, eyes gleaming hopefully.

Steve let out a small laugh. “No I’m not. I’m just an artist. I have a little set up over by the pond across from the Matterhorn. It’s nothing fancy but I like it.”

“Handsome and talented? Now that’s a killer combo.”

“Yeah well no matter how talented, I’m never going to attract a crowd the way you do,” Steve admitted as he thought of the massive wave of people that had swarmed around him. “You’re like a magnet. Boys want to be you and girls want to be with you. It’s incredible.” It really was fascinating seeing adults and children alike screaming the second they realized Prince Phillip was out doing autographs and taking pictures. Steve couldn’t blame them, of course. Bucky was gorgeous.

A small grin tugged at Bucky’s lips at the comment. “We’ll see about that. I’m pretty certain you could bring in crowds just as large. All we gotta do is get you a little exposure.”

“And how would we do that exactly?”

“I have an idea.” He downed the last of his beer then stood up. “But before I even consider letting you in on my brilliant idea, I’m going to have to ask you to dance.”

Steve shook his head slightly. “I don’t know,” he replied hesitantly.

But Bucky wasn’t taking no for an answer. He reached out and took Steve by the hand, pulling him toward the house. Steve followed nervously. He had never been a good dancer and he certainly didn’t need to show that off to a man like Bucky.

Stepping inside after his companion, Steve was immediately overwhelmed by the noise level and crowd size. It seemed as if every person at the party had congregated onto the dancefloor, including Sam and Natasha, both of whom threw him a baffled look when they saw him with Bucky. Hand still wrapped up in Bucky’s, Steve was dragged into a small gap in the crowd where the two of them could dance. Once in place, Bucky began dancing without hesitation, his whole body moving with the beat of the music. Steve, however, stood there for a long moment, looking around nervously.

Noticing Steve’s expression, Bucky took both of Steve’s hands and started guiding him in a simple dance. With his hands being grasped firmly and Bucky smiling at him, Steve couldn’t help but grow a little more comfortable. He began following Bucky’s lead, relying on his own footwork rather than his companion’s guidance.

“There you go,” Bucky exclaimed, beaming like a school boy.

Steve chuckled deeply and smiled back at him. He really liked Bucky. He wasn’t just a pretty face. He was absolutely charming and a pleasure to be around. He was fun, clearly wanting nothing more than to make the people around him smile.

As the minutes passed, the space between them lessened until Bucky had his hands on Steve’s hips. Steve’s heart pounded, eyes locked on Bucky as they continued to dance. No one else in the room mattered anymore. He was fixated on the man in front of him. On those beautiful blue eyes, on the dazzling smile that never faltered.

A sudden smack on the rear drew his attention away from his dance partner. Cheeks flushed, Steve turned to see Maria smirking at him.

“Never thought I’d see that tight ass shaking on the dance floor,” she teased before addressing Bucky, “Nice work, Barnes.” She gave him a wink.

“It’s my pleasure, believe me,” Bucky replied, his grip on Steve’s hips tightening slightly.

Maria placed her hand on Bucky’s shoulder in a gesture of approval before meandering through the crowd. Steve watched her disappear behind a couple of crazy partygoers before looking back at Bucky, cheeks immediately getting hot when he noticed Bucky’s eyes wandering down his body. Steve swallowed. He’d never been looked at like that before. Sure people had found him attractive but no one had gazed at him like he was the finest creation God had placed on Earth. That’s exactly what Bucky made him feel like when he eyed him so openly.

Steve let out an involuntary gasp when Bucky closed the distance between them and began slowly grinding against him. His heart started racing, his lungs malfunctioning while his brain struggled to process the situation. God knows that if he thought about it too hard, he wouldn’t be able to stop his body from reacting to the contact.

“S-so, uh,” he stammered nervously in an attempt to distract himself, “What is that, um, plan of yours?”

“Just wait and see,” Bucky replied, his voice a mere whisper in Steve’s ear.

Steve took a deep breath and clenched his jaw. He didn’t know what to do. He liked Bucky. A lot. But he was afraid of where this was headed. What if the man was putting the moves on him just so he could get him in bed for the night? What if he was driven by a desire just to have sex with him? As much as Steve would love to have those hands all over his body, he didn’t want it to be for a one-night stand. That just wasn’t who he was.

Steve closed his eyes for a second as he debated what to do before coming to a decision. He grabbed Bucky’s wrists and pulled his hands from his hips. “I need to go use the restroom,” he lied, “I-I’ll be back.”

He quickly turned away and squeezed his way through the crowds, not wanting to see the look of disappointment that Bucky probably had on his face. He felt guilty. He liked the attention Bucky gave, liked the way his fingers felt pressing into his hips. He had wanted it. But just the mere thought of being lured to bed for a one-time bout of passion scared him.

Steve stepped into the bathroom down the hall and locked the door behind him before standing in front of the mirror. Looking at his reflection only made him feel worse. Why was he like this? Why did he care what this guy wanted? Wouldn’t he rather have one night with an incredible guy than go home alone the way he always did? Didn’t he deserve to be happy?

There was a small knock on the door followed by Bucky’s voice. “Steve?”

Steve swallowed, trying desperately to hide his confliction as he opened the door. To his surprise, however, when he opened the door he didn’t find Bucky standing there with a disappointed look. In fact it was almost the opposite of what he expected. Bucky looked worried. Hell, he looked guilty.

“I’m sorry,” Bucky said before Steve could even find the words to ask him what was wrong, “I came on too strong and made you uncomfortable. I never intended to do that. I just… I wanted to make you feel good. I wanted to see you smile with confidence. So if I freaked you out, I’m sorry.”

Steve was in shock. He hadn’t expected Bucky to apologize for his behavior. He didn’t even consider his actions as needing to be apologized for. Yet here he was, admitting his fault in the hopes of mending a situation neither of them quite understood.

Steve stepped out of the bathroom and stood facing Bucky. “It’s alright. Really.”

“You weren’t freaked out?”

“Well, I was a little. Not because of you dancing with me or anything. It’s just that, well, I- uh…” He stammered nervously, “I was worried that you were just trying to score a one-night stand.”

Bucky’s eyes widened. “No, no, no! I would never- I mean, don’t take that the wrong way. ‘Cause I sure as hell would love to sleep with you, trust me.” He immediately cringed at his own words. “That sounded nicer in my head.” He groaned, putting his hands on his hips as he thought about exactly what he wanted to say. “Look, the thing is I like you, Steve. And I want to see you again. Preferably in a situation where I’m not going to embarrass the hell out of myself.”

A small smile tugged at Steve’s lips. Bucky wasn’t just trying to get him in bed. He genuinely liked him and wanted to get to know him better. Nothing could make him happier. “I’d like that,” Steve said softly, “Maybe we could get dinner sometime.”

The concern on Bucky’s face faded, giving way to a gentle grin. “Dinner would be great.” He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out his cell, handing it to Steve. “Want to go ahead and give me your number so we can work something out?”

“Sure.” He entered his information into Bucky’s phone and handed it back to him. “Just promise me you’re not going to start sending me links to some silly cat videos.”

Bucky chuckled and tucked his phone in his pocket. “I can definitely promise you that won’t be happening.”

“Good.” Steve glanced at his watch and sighed. “I should probably start walking home. I don’t want to fall asleep mid-paint stroke at work tomorrow.”

“Can I give you a ride?” Bucky asked, “I’d hate to see you freezing your ass off out there.”

“If you don’t mind, I don’t see why not.”

“Good.”

Steve followed Bucky out the front door and down the street to where he had parked. He climbed into the passenger’s seat, sighing as the heat kicked in when Bucky started the car. He had been wise in accepting the offer for the ride. It was cold outside and the mile walk would be killer in just his cardigan.

They didn’t say anything during the ride to the apartment, just sat and listened to the music as Bucky drove. Steve wasn’t really sure what to say either. He was content with the way the night had ended. Bucky had been so kind and honest about wanting to see him again. Nothing could beat that. When Bucky parked in front of the apartment complex, he smiled over at Steve. “Hopefully I’ll see you around the park at some point before we get dinner.”

Steve nodded. “I’ll keep my eyes peeled for a mob of screaming women,” he joked. He gazed at Bucky in admiration as the man laughed. God, he was so gorgeous. He didn’t even deserve a chance to be with a guy like Bucky. Without even giving himself the opportunity to reconsider, Steve leaned over the center console and gave Bucky a gentle kiss on the lips. “Goodnight, Bucky.”

Bucky stared at him with soft eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as Steve stepped out of the car. “Goodnight,” he called out the window.

Steve waved at him before he turned and headed up to his apartment. As he trudged up the stairs, he knew that he was going to have a hard time sleeping without thinking about everything that had happened between him and Bucky that night. Whether it was about the kiss or the feeling of guilt that came over him in the bathroom, his mind was going to be racing the whole night.


	3. Be Our Guest

“You _kissed_ him?!”

Steve rolled his eyes as Sam stared at him in disbelief. They were sitting on one of the benches along Main Street following their day’s shifts, discussing the party. Sam, of course, had wanted to know every last detail about Steve’s encounter with Bucky.

“I owed him at least that,” Steve replied, “I mean, he told me he was just trying to make me happy! How could I just get out of the car with just a thanks and a wave?”

Sam shrugged. “So he didn’t try anything else on you?”

“No. He just smiled at me and told me to have a good night.”

Sam whistled and draped his arms along the back of the bench. “Sounds like we’ve got ourselves a knight in shining armor.”

Steve smiled slightly, watching in silence as one of the buggies passed by them. “He did say he wanted to sleep with me though,” he said absentmindedly.

Sam nearly choked on his own spit. “And you’ve waited until _now_ to tell me this?”

A deep chuckle escaped from Steve’s throat at the look of surprise on Sam’s face. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t extremely crude or anything. He was just clarifying that just because he wasn’t trying to take me home for a one-night stand, it didn’t mean he never wanted to sleep with me.” Steve smiled to himself as he thought about the way Bucky’s cheeks went pink when he struggled to explain himself. He had been completely honest about everything. His intentions had been pure and he genuinely wanted to see Steve again.

As if on cue, Steve’s phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and unlocked it to reveal a text from an unfamiliar number. Without hesitation, he opened it.

 

**_Hey, Steve. Sorry again about last night. I really hope you still want to meet for dinner sometime. I’d love to see you again. -Bucky_ **

 

“It’s him, isn’t it?” Sam asked eagerly, “What’d he say?”

“He’s just making sure I still want to go out for dinner with him. Says he’d love to see me again.”

“And?”

Steve looked over at Sam with a furrowed brow. “And what?”

“Do you want to go to dinner with him?”

“No,” Steve said, the sarcasm in his voice extremely apparent, “All of this talking has made me realize I hope I never see him again.”

“Alright, alright, tone down the sarcasm. I was just making sure.”

Steve laughed and began typing out his response:

 

**_No need to apologize. I had a good time last night. I would still love to do dinner. I’m off tomorrow night if that works for you. -Steve_ **

 

Once he sent his reply, he leaned back in his seat and sighed. It had been a long time since he’d even come close to going on a date. Ever since he had broken up with Peggy in his junior year of college, he’d avoided any potential dating situation. But he liked Bucky and he wanted something to happen between them.

Soon enough Bucky’s reply came.

 

**_Tomorrow works for me. Be at your place to pick you up around 6?_ **

 

Steve smiled. Just thinking about Bucky pulling up to his apartment to take him to dinner was enough to fill him with joy. He couldn’t wait.

 

 **_Perfect. See you tomorrow night_ **.

 

“Well?” Sam asked.

“Looks like we’ll be having dinner together tomorrow night,” Steve replied as he put his phone back in his pocket.

“Well, shit, Steve, look at you!” Sam beamed, clasping his hand firmly on Steve’s shoulder, “Going out with Prince Phillip? Now there’s something to be proud of.”

Steve laughed at his friend’s enthusiasm. “Calm down. It’s our first date. Who knows what’ll happen.”

“Oh come on! That guy looked like he was ready to fuck your brains out the moment you first saw him!”

Steve gave Sam a stern look, silently pleading with him to lower his voice, especially since a family with three little kids passed behind their bench.

“Relax,” Sam continued, squeezing Steve’s shoulder in support, “He’s going to love you even more after dinner tomorrow. Trust me.”

Steve smiled softly. “Thanks, Sam.”

Sam grinned and smacked his friend’s knee as he stood up. “Now let’s get our sorry asses out of here before the parade rolls through. Last thing I need is to hear on my day off is that damn music.”

* * *

The following night, Steve was dressed and ready to go before five. He was nervous. Bucky had text him that morning, telling him he might want to dress up for dinner. Not that he’d been planning on wearing jeans and a t-shirt. But the message made him realize he should definitely look his best. For all he knew, Bucky was about to take him to the fanciest restaurant he’d ever set foot in. So he dressed as if that were the case, throwing on a pair of black slacks, a blue dress shirt, and a black tie before topping it off with a blazer.

He spent a good hour just pacing around his apartment and running an endless list of scenarios through his head. He knew it was pointless, that he was overthinking everything. But he couldn’t help himself. He hadn’t gone on a date in years and he sure as hell did not want to screw it up tonight.

Just two minutes before six, he received a text from Bucky that alerted him of his arrival. Steve grabbed his keys and wallet off the counter and slipped out the front door, locking it behind him. He froze outside of his apartment and took a deep breath. Okay, he thought to himself as he adjusted his blazer, You look good. Just go for it.

With that, he hustled down the stairs and through the eastern gate of his complex where he saw Bucky’s car waiting by the curb. As he approached, Bucky climbed out and circled around to the passenger’s side. He looked incredible in his black dress shirt and gray tie. And that damn smile…

“You look gorgeous,” Bucky said without hesitation.

Steve’s cheeks grew hot. “Thank you,” he replied, hoping he didn’t sound like a shy school boy, “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

Bucky simply smirked. “I can clean up pretty well when I want to.” He pried open the passenger door, gesturing for Steve to get in. “Shall we?”

Steve thanked him again and climbed in, watching as Bucky circled back around the front of the car and into his seat. He put the car in drive and pulled out onto the road.

“So,” Steve inquired curiously, “Am I allowed to ask where we are going tonight?”

“You can ask. Doesn’t mean I’m going to tell.” Bucky beamed over at him, that boyish smirk on his face making Steve’s heart skip a beat.

“It’s a surprise, then,” he concluded with a nod. He didn’t have a problem with that either. It was actually kind of nice letting Bucky take care of everything. All Steve had to do was go along for the ride.

The drive was far from extensive. Once Bucky had navigated over to Harbor, it was a straight shot past the parks and to the circle of hotels just on the other side of Katella. When Bucky turned onto the small road leading up to the Hilton, Steve spotted their destination: Morton’s Steakhouse. The realization made him curse internally. Bucky wasn’t just treating him to dinner. He was treating him to the finest dinner he could possibly eat in town.

They parked a few aisles from the front doors and climbed out of the car, the distant screams from California Adventure echoing through the night air. Steve took a deep breath as he and Bucky made their way into the restaurant. The place was surprisingly packed. Tourists and locals alike were enjoying their Friday night with a fancy steak dinner.

“Welcome to Morton’s,” the hostess greeted them warmly, “Do you have a reservation with us tonight?”

“Uh, yes. Last name Barnes,” Bucky said.

She looked over her list and beamed the moment she spotted Bucky’s name. “Perfect timing, Mr. Barnes. We’ve just finished clearing off a table for you.” She grabbed two menus from the pocket hanging off her podium. “If you would follow me.”

The hostess led them across the dining room to a booth in the corner. She placed their menus on the table and stepped back to let them sit down comfortably. “Your server will be with you shortly,” she informed them with another bright smile, “Enjoy.”

Steve thanked her as she turned away and pried open his menu. His eyes scanned its entirety, his brain working hard to ignore the prices listed beside each item. Last thing he needed to do right now was guilt trip himself into ordering something he didn't even want just because the price was lower.

His attention was abruptly drawn away from the menu when their waiter stepped over to their table, his eyes practically sparkling with a natural enthusiasm as he clapped his hands together.

“Hey there! How you guys doing tonight?” The waiter exclaimed, “My name’s Scott. I’m going to be your server tonight. Could I start you off with something to drink? My buddy Luis makes a kick-ass margarita if either of you are interested.”

“As awesome as that sounds,” Bucky said with a grin, “I’m going to have to go with a glass of the Riesling.”

Scott nodded. “That’s a good one. And how about you, sir?”

Steve hummed in thought for a second. “I think I’ll have the Seven Falls Cabernet Sauvignon.”

“Great call. I’m not a big wine kind of guy but that stuff is magical. Let me go ahead and get those drinks for you guys while you look over the menu. And if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask.”

They murmured their thanks as Scott bounded off toward the kitchen and left them alone to decide on their meals. Steve furrowed his brow as he read over the menu. He was torn. As much as he wanted to eat one of their famous steaks, he was drawn to the shrimp scampi. It wasn’t often he had seafood and he was certain this place would make some incredible scampi.

He looked up as Bucky closed his menu and laid it on the table.

“I take it you’ve made up your mind?” Steve said with a smile.

“Oh yeah,” Bucky replied, “I am not missing an opportunity to dig into a porterhouse.”

Steve laughed and leaned back in his seat, letting his menu sit in his lap. “I don’t blame you.”

“What are you planning on getting?”

“I think I’m leaning towards the scampi. But the filet mignon is very tempting.”

Bucky smiled affectionately at him. “Get whatever you want, Steve. It’s my treat.”

Steve could feel himself blushing and was about to look down at his menu to keep from embarrassing himself but, fortunately, Scott returned with the drinks.

“Alrighty,” he said as he placed their wines in front of them, “The Riesling for you, and the Cabernet Sauvignon for you.” He put his hand on Steve’s shoulder in a gesture of warmth and eagerness. “Now, what have we- Holy _cow_! What is your workout routine?” Scott gaped down at Steve as he gave his bicep a little squeeze.

Steve laughed, flattered by the waiter’s admiration. “I can’t say I actually have one.”

Scott whistled. “Well, whatever you’re doing, keep it up.” He looked over at Bucky to find the brunet raising his brow in an expression of slight impatience. “Sorry, where was I? Oh! Yes! Have we decided on what we’re going to be eating tonight?”

“I’ll have the porterhouse,” Bucky said, “Medium well please.”

Scott murmured something inaudible as he began scribbling down his order in his notepad. “And for you?”

“The shrimp scampi,” Steve requested with a smile.

“Another great choice,” Scott breathed out in an odd sense of awe. “Alright, I’m going to pop on into the kitchen to place these orders. Again, let me know if you need anything!” He grabbed their menus and did an awkward sort of bow before he slipped around the corner and out of sight.

Steve looked across the table to find Bucky smirking to himself like he’d just been told an inside joke. “What do you look so sly for?”

“Oh nothing,” Bucky replied, “Just amused by the fact that our waiter is pretty much in love with you.”

Steve scoffed, rolling his eyes. He knew Bucky was joking, but even so the idea was just silly.

“Not that I can blame him,” Bucky added as he reached for his wine glass, “I am the one taking you to dinner after all.”

Steve felt his lips pull into a shy smile. “I’d say your chances are a lot better than his then, don’t you think?”

They talked for several minutes while they waited for their food, learning a little about each other as they drank their wine. Steve discovered that Bucky had worked at Disney ever since his junior year of college at Chapman where he had studied communication. He had started out as a food service worker at the Stage Door Cafe over in Frontierland before one of his coworkers suggested he audition for one of the costume character positions. The castmembers who judged his audition loved him and immediately insisted that he take over as the main Prince Phillip. He was, of course, more than happy to. He loved interacting with kids which was, as he told Steve, the entire reason he had taken the job in the first place.

“I remember when I came to the park for the first time and all I wanted to do was see Cinderella,” Bucky recounted with a laugh, “The second I spotted her I ran like crazy so I could be the first one to meet her. I remember when she smiled at me and all I could think about was how lucky I was to meet a princess. I was so happy I spent the next three days telling all my school friends about it.” He looked down at his wine, his thumb caressing the glass as he smiled to himself. “That’s how I want kids to feel when they come see me. I want to see them smile like their dreams are coming true. I want them to go home and tell all their friends that they got to meet a prince.”

Steve felt his heart grow light as he listened to Bucky. He was so passionate about his job, about making the experience kids had at Disneyland even more magical. He did it for them more than he did it for himself. It was selfless and kind. The more Steve thought about it, the more he realized Bucky was even greater than a prince.

Before Steve could ask about Bucky’s childhood, Scott returned to the table with two plates in hand. “Careful guys, these plates are sizzling hot,” he warned as he placed the scampi in front of Steve and the steak in front of Bucky, “Don’t want you to go burning your arm hairs off. Trust me, I’ve had it happen to me. It’s not fun.” He looked at their empty glasses before inquiring, “Did you want me to go ahead and get you both some more wine?”

“Yes, please,” Bucky responded.

Scott clapped his hands together excitedly. “Cool! I’m gonna go ahead and get those right now. Give your dinners a taste and if there’s anything you don’t like, let me know!”

Steve took a bite of his shrimp and was immediately blown away by the taste. It was absolutely delicious, probably the best scampi he’d had in his life. He was definitely satisfied with his choice.

“You look like you’re about to have an out-of-body experience,” Bucky teased upon noticing the look of awe on Steve’s face. “That must be some good scampi.”

Steve nodded, swallowing his second bit before he responded. “Good is an understatement.” He downed the last sip of his wine. “How’s the steak?”

“It’s not taking me on a spiritual journey like yours seems to be, but it is pretty damn good.”

They exchanged a laugh and grins before Scott came hustling over with their new glasses. “How is it guys? Good?”

“Very good,” Steve replied with a smile.

Scott let out a sigh of relief. “Awesome. I’ll leave you two to it then. Feel free to flag me down if you need anything though. Cool? Cool.”

Steve laughed as he watched Scott stumble over to one of his other tables, practically falling into the lap of his customer. He was an odd man, definitely out of place in such a high-end steakhouse, but Steve wouldn’t trade his service for anyone in the world.

They spent the rest of dinner chatting about their hobbies and different things they liked. They talked about movies and music, about what their favorite rides at Disney were and what they had planned to do with their lives before they were hired. Steve loved learning about Bucky’s passions and watching him get all excited talking about it. His eyes grew so bright and his smile nearly spread from ear to ear. He was beautiful.

When they had finished, they thanked Scott for his service, making sure to leave him a large tip as an expression of their gratitude. They then made their way out of the restaurant and climbed in the car, relieved to be out of the breeze.

“That was by far one of the best meals, I’ve ever had,” Steve admitted as Bucky started the engine. “So, thank you, Buck.”

Bucky’s brow shot upward, eyes almost sparkling with curiosity and surprise. “Buck?”

Steve blushed. “Sorry, I just- If you don’t like me calling you that, I won’t-”

“No, no, no!” Bucky exclaimed before Steve could apologize again, “It’s fine! I like it.” He smiled softly over at him, the look of adoration in his eyes making Steve’s cheeks get even warmer.

The drive back to Steve’s apartment was quick, both of them content with sitting in a comfortable silence. Bucky parked along the curb where a few of the other residents’ cars were situated and climbed out to open Steve’s door.

“I’d like to walk you up to your apartment,” Bucky said softly, “If you don’t mind.”

Steve smiled. “I don’t mind at all.”

Steve led him through the gate and up the stairs to the third floor of the complex. It was surprisingly quiet for a Friday night, probably because most of the residents were out on the town and those that remained were already sleeping. He pulled out his keys and opened his door, switching on the lights in the hallway. He turned to face Bucky, eyes softening the second he saw his companion smiling at him.

“I had a really good time tonight,” Steve murmured, trying to keep his voice low so he wouldn’t wake any of his neighbors.

“Me too. I’m glad you agreed to let me take you out. I probably didn’t deserve it after how I behaved at the party.”

Steve shook his head. “You did nothing wrong. I was just nervous. I’m not very good at parties and I had no idea what I was supposed to do. I mean, this handsome guy was hitting on me. Of course I was going to be hesitant.”

Bucky chuckled, looking at Steve with an expression of complete affection. “Yeah, well this handsome guy is just happy he got to see you again.”

Steve stepped forward and placed his hands on the sides of Bucky’s neck with slight hesitation. “Not as happy as I am,” he replied.

Bucky’s hands immediately found their way to Steve’s hips as he hummed contently at the contact. “You really going to make this a competition, punk?” He teased with a smirk.

“Maybe I am. Got a problem with that, jerk?”

Bucky’s tongue darted out to lick his lips. “Not at all…” His fingertips pressed firmly into Steve’s hips, making Steve yearn to feel their caress elsewhere. He wasn’t sure if wanting someone so much after the first date was natural. He hadn’t felt that way with Peggy at all. Things were slow between them. Hell he hadn’t kissed her until the end of their third date. But Bucky was something else completely. He was kind, compassionate, funny, playful, and seductive all wrapped in one gorgeous package. How could he not want him?

Steve leaned forward and captured Bucky’s lips with his. It was gentle and patient, a perfect concluding kiss to their first date. However, before Steve could make the kiss anything more, Bucky pulled away with a content sigh.

“You’re kind of perfect, y’know that?” Bucky whispered with a smile.

Steve chuckled. It was clear that Bucky had no intentions of going all the way tonight and Steve respected that. It was the proper thing to do after all. “Says an actual Disney prince.”

“Yeah, well, this prince is a sucker for cute blonds.” He brought one hand up, messing Steve’s perfectly groomed hair up with a few strokes of the hand and chuckling when Steve rolled his eyes. After a moment of gazing down at his companion, Bucky leaned forward and pressed his lips to Steve’s forehead. “Goodnight, Steve,” he murmured softly before stepping back and slowly heading toward the stairs.

Steve let out a long sigh, watching Bucky walk away. Their first date was everything he had hoped for and Bucky had treated him with such kindness. He didn’t know what he had done to deserve the affections of a man like that, but he was sure as hell glad he had it.

“Goodnight, Buck.”


	4. Tale As Old As Time

The following three days after their dinner date, Steve and Bucky were too busy with work for a second outing. That didn’t stop them from communicating though. They sent each other several texts a day, wishing each other a good morning, complaining about irritating guests, and bidding each other goodnight when the evening rolled around. Every time he received a message from Bucky, Steve felt light. Never before had anyone made him feel that way, especially not when they were just texting him.

Steve was on his lunch break Tuesday afternoon, sitting on one of the benches along the path to It’s a Small World when a very familiar auburn haired woman sat down next to him.

“How was your date with the prince?” Natasha asked as she plucked a piece of her cotton candy from its holder.

“It was great. We had dinner at Morton’s. We talked for hours then he took me home.”

Natasha raised her brow, the hint of a smirk pulling at her red lips. “Did you sleep with him?”

Steve was slightly taken back. He should have known that question was coming from one of his friends. Surprisingly though it hadn’t been Sam. “No, for your information, I didn’t sleep with him,” he replied, embarrassed by the fact that he was even sharing the information.

“That’s a shame.” She crossed her left leg over her right and leaned back in her seat.

“What are you doing here anyway? You don’t usually come by on your days off.”

Natasha shrugged. “Sam told me you were working today. Figured I’d see how your romantic rendezvous went.”

Steve raised his brow. He was extremely curious. It wasn’t often that Natasha popped by to engage in small talk with anyone. She was more often than not content on being on her own and avoiding any kind of extensive conversations. Knowing she came here on her own desire just to ask him about his date made Steve feel special. Maybe she really did see him as a close friend then.

Steve stood and held out his hand. Natasha looked up at him, her expression reflecting a silent inquiry as to what he was doing.

“Come on,” Steve insisted with a small smile, “Let’s go make fun of Clint for a few minutes before I have to go back to work.”

An alarmingly gentle grin found its way onto her face at Steve’s words. She took Steve’s hand, letting him help her to her feet. “You really know how to make a girl happy,” she said as they headed towards Mad Hatter’s Tea Party.

“It’s kind of a job requirement.”

The two exchanged smiles and a playful shove before they turned their attention to the poor blond in the ride control booth who looked like he wanted nothing more than a cup of coffee.

* * *

Later that afternoon, a young couple from New York came to his stand in the hopes of getting a caricature done to celebrate their two-year anniversary. Steve, of course, was more than happy to draw it for them.

“So what part of New York are you guys from?”

The wife, who was no more than 24 or 25, smiled brightly and squeezed her husband’s hand, her bright green eyes nearly twinkling with joy. “Manhattan,” she replied.

“Really?” Steve beamed as his pencil began gliding across the paper. “I’m from Brooklyn myself.”

“My parents lived in Brooklyn for a while,” the husband explained, “But when the housing prices went up in their neighborhood they moved over to an old apartment complex in Manhattan. Been there ever since.”

Steve nodded. He could understand the need to move because of skyrocketing housing prices. “And how did you two meet, if you don’t mind me asking?”

The couple looked at each other and giggled. “Well,” the husband began, “I was actually out for a run in central park one morning and accidentally crashed into her when I was turning a corner.”

“He knocked the coffee right out of my hand and I almost fell to the ground but he immediately grabbed onto me. He wouldn’t stop apologizing!” The wife laughed as she recounted the story. “He kept saying he was sorry and that he wanted to make it up to me. I thought he was super cute so I jokingly said he could buy me another coffee. I had no idea he actually would!”

The entire time Steve worked on their caricature, he listened to the couple talk about their favorite memories together. As cheesy as it was, he was glad to be a part of their journey as a couple and hoped that he was making another unforgettable one for them.

Just as he finished the lining of the drawing and pulled out his watercolors, a familiar voice spoke from behind him.

“Sir, may I just say that you are one lucky man to have wedded such a beautiful princess like her.”

Steve looked at the couple first and was surprised to see them both beaming with excitement. The wife was practically squealing as well, legs flailing and hands covering her gaping mouth. He immediately spun around to find Bucky standing behind him completely dressed in his Prince Phillip costume with a swarm of adoring guests behind him, several of whom were videotaping with their phones.

“I take it my friend, Steve, here is taking good care of the both of you?”

“Definitely,” the husband assured him.

Bucky smiled down at Steve before putting his hands on the blond’s shoulders. “I thought so. Steve is the finest artist in the kingdom,” Bucky said proudly, giving Steve’s shoulders a squeeze, “And let me tell you a secret. I think he may be a prince as well.”

Steve blushed, struggling to keep his composure in front of the mob of park visitors gathered around them. So this was what Bucky had meant by getting Steve some exposure.

“I better be on my way,” Bucky added as he stepped back, “I don’t want to be late to the ball tonight.” He bowed toward the couple still seated in the chairs beside the pond. “I wish you both a wonderful evening. Do visit Aurora and I at our castle sometime. She would be pleased to meet you.”

Bucky slyly gave Steve a wink, lips pulled into a charming smile. He had ventured outside his designated autograph area, probably against the desire of his supervisor, just to make sure people knew about Steve’s art. As he watched Bucky walk away with the wave of people at his heels, Steve knew he had already fallen head over heels for a real life prince.

* * *

After his shift, Steve decided to spend the evening in the park, leisurely strolling through the different lands to people watch and enjoy the many sights and smells of Disneyland. Everywhere he went, kids were screaming and running, eager to get on their favorite ride or meet a character they loved. Steve adored them all. He could see the pure joy in their faces, watch their eyes light up as their dreams came true. The rewarding feeling Steve got when he was able to make a child’s day was one of the main reasons he did what he did. Even if he made just one person smile, his day was perfect.

Steve found himself sitting on a bench alongside the River of America just as the sun was setting, allowing him to take in the beautiful sky that was painted with streaks of pink and orange. He had always loved watching the sunset. And watching it in the happiest place on Earth couldn’t be anymore satisfying.

“Why the hell is everybody looking up at the sky when there’s a wonder of the world sitting on the bench right in front of me?”

Steve tilted his head back and looked up to see Bucky leaning on the railing a few feet above his head. The smile on his face was breathtaking, especially when the iridescent sky sat behind him like a professionally painted backdrop. Steve couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“You know that’s twice now I’ve had to look up at you from the ground,” Steve said playfully, “You sure you’re not Rapunzel?”

Bucky chuckled. “Hey, if I let down my hair, we’re not going to have much of a rope.”

“Then quit fooling around and get down here.”

Bucky took that as an invitation to leap over the railing and gracefully land in the grass behind the bench, much to the dismay of a nearby castmember who gave him a glare. Bucky simply waved her off and circled around to the front of the bench where he plopped down beside Steve.

“So,” he said curiously, eyes aglow, “How was work?”

Steve nodded. “Pretty good. Got about ten caricatures and three paintings done, which is a surprising amount for a day like this.”

“Well, maybe today was your lucky day,” Bucky said with a slight smirk.

“Which reminds me,” Steve continued, “I need to thank you for that little visit you paid to my stand today. You really made that couple’s day. Not to mention the fact that you made my art a bit more popular.”

Bucky seemed to brush off Steve’s thanks as completely unnecessary. “Yeah, well you deserve it. A man of your talent ought to have people lining up to buy your stuff. I mean, I’d much rather buy your paintings than wait in line for a picture with an old fart in a Goofy costume.” Bucky gave him a teasing smile, knowing Steve couldn’t argue his against his point.

Steve shook his head as he laughed. “Fair enough.” He looked out over the water, appreciating the reflection of the rapidly darkening sky before he turned back to his counterpart. “What are you still doing hanging around here anyway?” He asked curiously, “I thought you got off hours ago.”

“I was looking for you actually. I was kinda hoping that, if you don’t have any plans tonight, you’d want to spend time together. Maybe grab a bite to eat and watch the fireworks?”

Steve felt his heart flutter. Bucky had waited around, searched the entire theme park, just to ask him if he wanted to spend the evening with him. “I’d love to.”

A soft smile pulled at Bucky’s lips as Steve gazed at him. Suddenly the pure affection in his expression gave way to child-like excitement as Bucky grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to his feet. “We better get going then!” Bucky exclaimed, “You and I are going to have some of the best seats in the house.”

Steve laughed, following closely behind as Bucky pulled him along the water. As they hustled through the crowds, Bucky’s fingers intertwined with his, making Steve’s heart soar in a way he hadn’t experienced since a teenager.

To his surprise, Steve found himself being dragged through the crowds lining Main Street and into the courtyard of the Plaza Inn. Most of the tables were already taken by park regulars who had planned ahead for their visit and booked a reservation just in time to catch the fireworks while they enjoyed their meal.

“Hi,” the hostess greeted as they approached her station, “Do you two have a reservation?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bucky beamed, “Barnes for two.”

The young woman scanned her list, lips pulling into an even brighter grin when she found what she was looking for. “Perfect! If you would like to follow me, I’ll take you to your table.”

Bucky thanked her and gently pulled Steve along up the stairs. Instead of taking them inside as Steve had anticipated, she hung a left, leading them directly to a private table situated on the porch facing Fantasyland.

The waitress placed their menus on the table, smiling as she gestured for them to take their seats. “Your server will be with you shortly.”

Once they were seated, Steve gazed at Bucky in astonishment. “How did you get such a great spot?” He asked, “They don’t usually have the porch open to people during the evening like this.”

Bucky smirked. “Yeah, well, I’m not most people,” he teased. “Besides, I promised you the best seats in the house, didn’t I?”

Steve felt a soft smile pull at his lips as Bucky reached across the table to grab his hand. Bucky was amazing. There simply wasn’t any other way to put it. He was kind, caring. He had the most brilliant smile and a laugh so wonderful it could make hearts melt. He had charm and beauty yet made no attempt to use that as leverage. In fact, from day one, Bucky had only ever tried to do what made Steve happy. Not once had he prioritized himself.

When the first firework soared up into the sky in front of them a few minutes later, Steve’s eyes could look at nothing else but Bucky. And when Bucky smiled at him and leaned in to capture his lips in a gentle kiss, Steve knew that nothing could make him happier than the man beside him. For as much as he was a skeptic when it came to love at first sight, Steve was certain that with Bucky by his side, he was destined to live happily ever after.


End file.
